Last year the show moved to a new venue, increasing its exhibitor capacity by 30%, AND IT SOLD OUT.

This year the total capacity has risen to 48,000 sq. metres, which is 37.4% more than last time. With still over four months to go until show time, over 90% of available space has gone.

A combination of mild winters and summers has made the wealthy areas of Jiangsu, Shanghai, ZheJiang, and, of course, Shanghai - with her over 130,000 millionaires - perfect for the continuing growth in leisure boating. The demand for space at CIBS is nothing more than a natural reflection of this.

National trade associations from Italy, Australia, USA, Spain, and Korea, have seen the success of their members from attendance at previous shows and have confirmed their presence with an increased space over previous years. Other trade associations from the UK and Germany are also in discussions about making an appearance at CIBS 2013.

The show in 2013, co-organized by Sinoexpo and the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, will increase its focus on the ultimate end user with more emphasis on promoting boats, boating and the boating lifestyle with 13,000 sq. metres dedicated to "Expo Leisure" focusing on the other trappings that naturally accompany the fun to be had around boats and on the water.

After the strong success of the on-the-water element of CIBS 2012, arrangements are currently at an advanced stage for similar facilities for CIBS 2013 adjacent to the main CIBS show halls.

Once again on-line pre-registration has been launched and is already showing an uplift of over 20% on the same time last year, a figure which - if it continues (and it is showing no sign of slowing down) - the show will already be on track to healthily beating the 30,000 visitors who filed through the show's doors last year.

CIBS is most certainly not working alone on developing and further encouraging water leisure in the region.

A major programme has been launched to take advantage of the improving appearance and water environment in Shanghai and to improve public access to Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River. This involves building 15 sites that will allow leisure craft to dock safely.

Site selection requires considering the feasibility and ease of construction of the facilities and the overall impact on the development of the Suzhou River.

And it is not just the city's "Mother River" that is seeing development. Dianshan Lake, to the west of the city, means a lot to Shanghai. Just 10 years ago, there was just a small club with only a few boats. Now there are at least five, with the numbers of boats AND regular boaters increasing almost weekly. It would appear that Shanghai's middle class is starting to get the boating bug and the lake, with its clean water and areas of beauty and nature all around its shores are encouraging people - whole families in fact - to go out of the city on weekends.

More and more Shanghai white-collar workers enjoy sailing on the weekends and appear to have caught the boating bug. But let's not forget Shanghai's (and beyond) coastal areas, with clubs springing up on salt as well as fresh water.

In addition, it is not just CIBS that think they are providing a good avenue to help people into boating. Zhou Juan, Managing Director of Shanghai Double Happiness Yacht Co., Ltd says, "As a yacht company in Shanghai, we are proud of CIBS, which is the biggest show in Asia. Such a stage furthers the flourishing development of this industry and we are happy to see that."

Not just local businesses see the value of attendance at CIBS. When asked, Francesco Albertoni, President of the UCINA made these comments about the Shanghai Show:

"It is now over ten years since we first attended the China (Shanghai) International Boat Show with an Italian Pavilion, representing over 400 UCINA member businesses operating in the Pleasure boat sector-expression of the 'excellence' of Made in Italy in the world-witnessing the Shanghai Boat Show; growth, year after year, and the Chinese nautical industry become a market with significant growth prospects."

But don't take these industry leaders' word for it. Whether as a visitor or an exhibitor, put a date in your calendar and set your GPS to be at the China (Shanghai) International Boat Show next April.

The China (Shanghai) International Boat Show runs from 11th to 14th April 2013.